It was expected in Year 2, after already taking a lap around the track at the NFL level, that Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Joey Porter Jr. would improve.
That is the case through the first seven games of the season for the Black and Gold, and it was clear on Sunday night against the New York Jets.
Porter allowed just one reception on three targets against the Jets for just nine yards. He handled some big-time matchups against Davante Adams, Garrett Wilson and Allen Lazard well and helped keep a lid on the Jets’ passing attack.
For Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, the work Porter is doing on the practice field and in the facility is showing up in-stadium, which is playing a huge part in his improved play.
“I thought Joey was really solid, and I think he is getting more solid because of the attention to detail and the urgency that he’s taken to practice,” Tomlin said Tuesday when asked how Porter played against the Jets, according to video via the Steelers’ YouTube page. “He’s really evolving as a developing professional in terms of where to set his energy and focus his energies and practice settings. And oftentimes that changes week to week because of the challenges that you face change week to week. The schematics you choose to employ change week to week. The talent on the other side changes.
“And so it requires different adjustments. I think that he’s no longer taking the cookie-cutter approach to his prep. I think he’s got enough experience now where he is able to cater his approach to best position him to perform with a high level of consistency.”
It’s great to hear that a young player like Porter is growing and developing from a mindset side of things. He is taking a professional approach on the practice field, allowing him to continue to work on his craft and really hone in on his strengths and weaknesses, allowing him to play at a high level as a young player.
On the season, Porter has played in 421 snaps, grading out at a 54.6 overall from Pro Football Focus. That includes a 58.0 overall grade in coverage, which seems rather low, considering Porter has allowed just 17 receptions on 26 targets for 218 yards with one touchdown and one interception.
He was at his best against the Jets, allowing just the one reception for nine yards, and he had a great rep in Steelers’ territory in the second half against Mike Williams, squeezing the receiver to the sideline and forcing an incompletion from Aaron Rodgers.
That high level of play can be attributed to not only his talents, but his work on the practice field and in the facility, being detailed and having urgency to work on his craft. Coming from the lineage Porter does, that shouldn’t be a surprise. But that doesn’t make it any less thrilling to see from and hear about a young player expected to be a cornerstone.
